Lakers Receive Crushing Update on $68 Million Trade Target

Nov 10, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (2) against the Phoenix Suns at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers' defensive woes continue to hold them back from reaching their championship-caliber potential.

The team was bounced unceremoniously from the NBA Cup quarterfinals by the San Antonio Spurs, allowing 132 points in their embarrassing home loss.

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The Lakers' defensive struggles began early. The Spurs went on a 15-4 run to end the first quarter on their way to scoring 39 points in the first period, earning a lead they would not give up.

After the game, multiple figures in the Lakers locker room voiced their concerns with their defensive efforts.

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"They were just going downhill, driving and kick," Lakers guard Luka Doncic said after the game. "Each one of us got to be better."

As the three-point shot continued to rain down and whistles continued to blow in the Spurs' favor, it's becoming increasingly clear that for the Lakers to truly improve on defense, they might need to bring in help from outside the building.

The Pelicans are not interested in trading Herb Jones to the Lakers, per @DanWoikeSports

“While Lakers fans can fantasize about some all-out liquidation of the three-win Pelicans’ roster, team and league sources tell The Athletic that New Orleans is not interested in moving… pic.twitter.com/NcsEps7w85

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 11, 2025

“Very few teams don’t have something that you can expose,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick told reporters. “And we typically, consistently, got exposed (for) the same things.”

The Lakers are missing an on-ball defender, and acquiring one via trade might be harder than initially thought.

One player who has often been linked to the Lakers is New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones, one of the league's top defenders. Jones isn't eligible to be traded until Jan. 14 because of a three-year extension he signed in July. However, according to The Athletic's Dan Woike, the Lakers' chances of acquiring Jones are low.

"Team and league sources tell The Athletic that New Orleans is not interested in moving Jones," Woike wrote. "And considering what LA would have to offer in a deal, expiring contracts and a single first-round pick, the Pelicans almost certainly wouldn’t engage at that price point."

Woike added that the Lakers' future first-round pick is not expected to be in the lottery range as the Lakers are expected to be a playoff-viable team for years to come with Luka Doncic on the roster and Mark Walter — a proven winner as an owner — at the helm. Additionally, players who have been mentioned as part of a potential trade package, such as Rui Hachimura, are playing on expiring deals, offering little return value for the Pelicans.

The Lakers have time to engineer a deal before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, but if they want to shore up their defense, the team must act quickly.

For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.